1
as in controllers
a mechanism for adjusting the operation of a device, machine, or system
the controls for the player are well marked
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in hands
the ability to direct the course of something
after the tail fell off, the plane went out of the pilot's control firefighters keeping control of the blaze
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in operations
the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something
control of manufacturing operations was given to a new manager with fresh ideas
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in powers
the right or means to command or control others
teachers are responsible for the students under their control
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in regulates
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
you must learn to control your temper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in contains
to gain emotional or mental control of
he controlled himself only with the greatest difficulty in the face of his opponent's insulting remarks
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in rules
to exercise authority or power over
circumstances often control the choices we make in life
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in operates
to look after and make decisions about
during the period that she controlled the company it was highly profitable
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of controls
Richard Hall, Time, 13 June 2026
The move comes after Anthropic’s receipt of a US Commerce Department directive Friday evening, subjecting the new models to export controls restricting their use anywhere outside the United States.
—ArsTechnica, 13 June 2026
An Anthropic spokesperson said the White House didn’t raise Chinese access to Mythos in its conversations around the Fable jailbreak and export controls.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 13 June 2026
Anthropic’s Fable was supposed to be a compromise, providing the same class of power as its too powerful for general access Mythos model but with stronger locks and controls.
—Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
Iran has since imposed strict controls over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which 20% of the world’s oil passed before the war, causing chaos in the global markets.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 13 June 2026
Still, software should support your visitor checks, USB controls and employee training, rather than replace them.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
Flight controls weren't an issue for some, though.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 13 June 2026
If college sports truly need cost controls, why do those controls always begin and end with the players?
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2026
Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and now first-ever trillionaire, controls a lot of different businesses.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026
Elon Musk, the world's richest man and now first-ever trillionaire, controls a lot of different businesses.
—ABC News, 12 June 2026
Anthropic now controls half of that category.
—Ashley Capoot,cj Haddad,samantha Subin,lora Kolodny, CNBC, 12 June 2026
The parasympathetic nervous system is the part of your autonomic nervous system that controls involuntary bodily functions.
—Mélanie Defouilloy, Vogue, 6 June 2026
Trump still controls much of the Kennedy Center.
—Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026
Down below sit the foot controls that peek through all that bodywork.
—Utkarsh Sood
june 05, New Atlas, 5 June 2026
Apparently salary controls for athletes are responsible governance.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2026
Noun
With these export controls, it has now also been deemed too dangerous for foreign use.
—Richard Hall, Time, 13 June 2026
The move comes after Anthropic’s receipt of a US Commerce Department directive Friday evening, subjecting the new models to export controls restricting their use anywhere outside the United States.
—ArsTechnica, 13 June 2026
An Anthropic spokesperson said the White House didn’t raise Chinese access to Mythos in its conversations around the Fable jailbreak and export controls.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 13 June 2026
Anthropic’s Fable was supposed to be a compromise, providing the same class of power as its too powerful for general access Mythos model but with stronger locks and controls.
—Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
Iran has since imposed strict controls over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which 20% of the world’s oil passed before the war, causing chaos in the global markets.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 13 June 2026
Still, software should support your visitor checks, USB controls and employee training, rather than replace them.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
Flight controls weren't an issue for some, though.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 13 June 2026
If college sports truly need cost controls, why do those controls always begin and end with the players?
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2026
Verb
Whoever controls those constraints—chips, electricity, grid capacity, and digital infrastructure—will have disproportionate influence over global growth.
—Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and now first-ever trillionaire, controls a lot of different businesses.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026
Elon Musk, the world's richest man and now first-ever trillionaire, controls a lot of different businesses.
—ABC News, 12 June 2026
Anthropic now controls half of that category.
—Ashley Capoot,cj Haddad,samantha Subin,lora Kolodny, CNBC, 12 June 2026
The parasympathetic nervous system is the part of your autonomic nervous system that controls involuntary bodily functions.
—Mélanie Defouilloy, Vogue, 6 June 2026
Trump still controls much of the Kennedy Center.
—Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026
Down below sit the foot controls that peek through all that bodywork.
—Utkarsh Sood
june 05, New Atlas, 5 June 2026
Apparently salary controls for athletes are responsible governance.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controls
Noun
-
If a dangerous solar storm is detected heading toward Earth, mission controllers would command the fleet to release the material.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
8 June 2026
-
Missing Spots According to Sara Aparacio, Homeaglow’s resident cleaning expert, people are most likely to miss the touch points that are constantly in use—light switches, door handles, remote controls, even game controllers and keyboards.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
The telegram’s design is joyful and vivid, featuring illustrations of tiny hands tossing multi-colored hats and flowers into the air in a gesture of congratulation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
The violin in Baerwald’s hands was the one his German-Jewish grandfather played as a Japanese prisoner of war in the Bandō camp at Tokushima during World War I.—
Bethanne Patrick,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits all aircraft operations, including drone flights, within a 3-nautical-mile radius and up to 3,000 feet above ground level around certain stadiums hosting World Cup matches.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
-
The vessel has been specifically designed to support operations at depths of up to 11,000 meters—deep enough to reach the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, the deepest known point in Earth’s oceans.—
Dea Jusufi,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
But that doesn’t mean the government’s spying powers will disappear.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
-
The waterless cooling technology can also help establish data centers in areas where water is scarce while abundant solar energy powers the chips and cooling infrastructure.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
However, some people with diabetes also have kidney disease, which can affect how the body regulates potassium.—
Brianna Tobritzhofer,
Health,
4 June 2026
-
The commission regulates prediction markets like Kalshi.—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
It is widely accepted that a teaspoon of productive soil generally contains between 100 million and one billion bacteria, thus the name and rallying cry of the Forum.—
Louise Schiavone,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
-
The final film contains 82 minutes of score.—
Jon Burlingame,
Variety,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
If the court strikes down such grace periods, the implications could extend well beyond California and 13 other states that give a grace period for regular ballots, depending on how the court ultimately rules.—
Linh Tat,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
-
The bony villain is a warlock who stole the throne of Eternia from King Randor and now rules it with a tyrannical fist.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
The company also operates skydiving companies out of Indianapolis and Rock County, Wisconsin.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
15 June 2026
-
Those economics become even more challenging because publishing still operates on a returns system that dates back to the Great Depression.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Controls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controls. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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